(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus arranged for mobility along a track consisting of rails fastened to ties to store and transport bulk material, which comprises a box car comprising a frame and a box for storing and transporting the bulk material, the box having a lower portion adjacent the frame, a conveyor band arrangement for conveying the bulk material stored in the box in a conveying direction, the conveyor band arrangement having a portion extending substantially over the entire length of the box in the lower portion thereof, and a device having adjustable chutes for selectively discharging the bulk material from the box.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,842,994, dated Oct. 22, 1974, discloses a train of open-top box cars for storing and transporting bulk material, and a conveyor band arrangement consisting of two conveyor bands mounted on top of each box. The conveyor band arrangement extends over the entire length of the box and the conveyor bands are relatively displaceable in the conveying direction. The sequentially arranged conveyor band arrangements constitute a longitudinally adjustable, continuous conveyor path along the entire train for selectively transporting bulk material to be stored in respective box cars over full box cars to an empty box car. The lower portion of the box of each car has adjustable chutes for discharging the bulk material from the box between the undercarriages supporting each box car on the track. This requires a box of a special shape, i.e. a V- or W-shaped box, and the entire bulk material stored in the box will be discharged through the chutes when they are opened. The loading capacity of these box cars is small.
German Pat. No. 3,219,025, published Nov. 24, 1983, also discloses a train of box cars for storing and transporting a bulk material. A conveyor band runs along the bottom of each box over its entire length and an ascending conveyor band adjoins the conveyor band at an end wall of the box. A discharge or transfer car with a discharge funnel is arranged at a leading end of the train in the conveying direction and an adjoining discharge or transfer conveyor receives the conveyed bulk material therefrom. This conveyor may be pivoted about a vertical axis so that the bulk material may be discharged at the shoulder of the track or be loaded into another freight car. The conveyor band is not arranged for discharging the bulk material selectively to the right and the left of each track rail.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,538, dated Mar. 18, 1986, discloses a box car comprising a track-bound frame and a box for storing and transporting bulk material. A conveyor band arrangement for conveying the bulk material stored in the box in a conveying direction extending longitudinally of the box has a conveyor band extending along the lower portion of the box and an adjacent, ascending transfer conveyor band passing through a slot in a front wall of the box and laterally pivotally mounted on the box car frame. A power-driven displaceable bulkhead is mounted on the box for displacement in the conveying direction, preferably synchronously with the conveyor band. The discharge of the stored bulk material is effected by moving the two conveyor bands in the conveying direction whereby the stored bulk material is conveyed through the slot defined between a lower edge of the box front wall and the conveyor band arrangement, and the bulk material is discharged from a projecting discharge end of the transfer conveyor band either into a freight car or at the track shoulder. If a series of such box cars are coupled together to from a freight train, the sequentially extending conveyor band arrangements of the box cars may form a continuous conveying path from one end of the train to the other. This arrangement has been found to be very efficient and highly economical, for example in the removal of waste generated in a ballast cleaning operation.